


St. Nick is a Cruel Man

by orphan_account



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, F/M, Minor Character Death, Tumblr Prompt, i dug my grave writing this, trigger warning
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-11-22
Updated: 2014-11-22
Packaged: 2018-02-26 14:05:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,738
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2654750
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Levi had never really believed in Santa Clause before, but he had come to the conclusion that St. Nick was a very cruel man.</p>
            </blockquote>





	St. Nick is a Cruel Man

**Author's Note:**

> my sister is going to kill me when she reads this
> 
> prompt is at the end. didn't want to spoil the surprise
> 
> sorrynotsorry

Folding his arms across his chest and leaning against the frame of the bedroom door, Levi watched silently as his wife folded clothes and placed them in the open suitcase on the end of the bed, humming a tune only she knew of, a rare small smile finding it's way onto his face.

She was as beautiful as ever. Hair the color of leaves in the Fall just before they begin turning orange flowing out just above her shoulders, strands tucked behind her ear. Her milk chocolate brown eyes fixed on the clothes as she folded them neatly - taught to her by Levi himself - but also shining with excitement with knowing why she was packing. Peitet form covered with a white blouse and a floral skirt swaying above her knees as she walked back and forth between the dresser and the bed.

Perfect. She was perfect.

Levi wondered what he had done to deserve someone as beautiful - inside and out - as Petra Ral. They had met in college and his friend, Hanji, had introduced them. At first, Levi wasn't very interested in her - she just seemed like any normal girl - but then she invited him over to her house for him to tutor her in a subject she needed help with and Levi began to really look at her. How absolutely gorgeous she was in every single way. How she managed to brighten his dull life just by smiling at him. And then he fell.

He fell hard.

He could be a complete and utter asshole at times and yet, she still ended up saying yes when he got down onto one knee and presented his mothers' wedding ring to her - which now sits comfotablely on her finger as her own.

She was his best friend and his lover at the same time and he couldn't have asked for anything better.

A high pitched yelp made him blink back from his thoughts, only to see a startled Petra, her hand on her chest as she let out a laugh.

"Jesus, Levi, you scared me." she placed both her hands on her hips. "How are you always so damn quiet?"

"Practice." he replied as he pushed himself off of the wall, walking toward her and snaking his hands in the hoops her arms made and around her waist. He looked down at her and tilted his head slightly, "You're leaving me," he paused before adding, "again."

Petra then smiled softly, reaching up to wrap her arms around her husbands' neck. "Only for a couple weeks, tops. Promise."

"I recall you saying those exact words last time."

"Hey, the added time wasn't my fault. If you have a problem, step on my bosses toes."

"I already stepped on your bosses toes."

Petra laughed, probably remembering the time Levi actually went with her to work one time to talk about a perticually long business trip with her boss, Oluo, and how it did not go well - Levi had made the guy bite his tongue with how much he stuttered at the ravens' anger and Petra feared she would lose her job at one point. But the older man was still a friend, even if Levi literally stepped on his toes.

"I know. I was there."

"How are you going to be a good role model to our child if you're never around?" Levi asked, leaning forward until his nose was against hers, pressing a kiss to her lips.

"Oh, we're talking about children now?" Petra questioned, smiling into the kiss as she returned the gesture by leaning forward to press against chaste kiss against her husbands' lips.

"Mmn." was the only response she had gotten before his lips traveled from her lips to her jaw, pressing butterfly kisses against the soft, flawless skin until he reached her neck, which he nuzzled against.

This action got a giggle from the auburn haired female, she slid her hands from his neck to his chest and began to push. "Okay, okay, you've had enough."

"No, I haven't." he mumbled against the skin where her neck and shoulder, tongue peaking out to sneak a small taste.

And that action got a cute little squeak as she began using her strength to - try to - push him away. "Oh, no, Levi, my flight leaves in an hour and it takes forty five minutes to get there!"

"This'll only take about ten, tops. Eleven if you need a minute to catch your breath. Promise."

"No, Levi!" she giggled as his nose brushed against her neck, tickling, but managing to effectally push him away. Petra gave him a pointed look before putting the clothing she had been holding in the suit case and closed it, she turned back to him, her lips forming a smirk as she got close enough to tap his lips. Her voice lowered as well as her eye lids as she looked up at him.

"You'll get your fill when I get back. It'll be a birthday gift."

"Can't wait." Levi was about to lean back down to catch her lips in another kiss but Petra moved before he could and she laughed at the half-hearted glare he gave her as she grabbed the suit case from the bed.

Levi snatching it from her and making his way out of the room earned an eye roll as she followed but not before grabbing her phone and keys.

The ride was full of music and Petras' excited talking about what her trip might be like - even though it was for work, she was a travling agent - and musical laughter at Levis' comments when he said something.

They arrived at the airport with ten minutes to spare - Levi had complained, 'see? We still have time. We could have banged, dammit.' to which Petra told him to shut up and stop pouting - and they walked to the entry of the plan, where they stopped to say their farewells.

"I trust you won't cheat on me with any smelly European guys, right?" Levi questioned, his gloved hands finding their way out of his pockets and around his wifes' waist. She would be going to Europe on her trip.

"I trust you won't cheat on me with any dollar stripper girls, right?" Petra countered with a raised eyebrow.

"You didn't answer my question."

"Neither did you."

"Touche." Levi said, pressing his lips against Petras' - cold and a bit chapped, as his own probably was, from the chilled air outside, it was snowing - before pulling back to say, "I love you."

Petra smiled brightly - she always did when Levi said those wonderful three words. "I love you too."

" _The flight to Italy will be leaving shortly."_   Levi glared up at the intercom for interuppting their little moment.

"I better get a seat now."

"Yeah."

Petra pulled away, walking up to the person behind the small desk to hand him her passport. He handed it back to her and she walked through the door, not before turning back to send Levi one of her dazzling smiles again.

"Bye, hubby. Love you."

"Bye. Love you too-and be careful!"

"Don't worry. I'll come back to you in one piece, promise!"

And with that, Levi watched as she turned her back to him and walked down the hall, he stayed until she was no longer in his line of sight before he sighed through his nose, shoving his hands in his pockets again and turning himself to walk back to his car and head home.

__________________________________

"You look miserable, Levi."

Petra had been gone for only a week and a half and Levi felt like shit. It was always like this every time she had to go on a trip. For Levi, days went back to being boring and cold. Even if he had an eccentric friend like Hanji.

"I am." he admitted, not looking away from the television and he hasn't since Hanji had put on reruns of 'How I Met Your Mother'.

"Don't worry, honey boo boo, she'll be back soon." the brunette cooed in a tone you would use to talk to a baby. Levi cringed at the nick name.

"Don't call me that."

Hanji took another bite of her take out before speaking again. "You know what would be cute?"

"What?"

"If you wrote a letter to Santa and sent it to her."

Surprisingly - even to him - this caught Levis' attention and he turned his head to look at her. "A letter to Santa?"

"Yeah!" Hanji grinned, excited about her idea. "You could put 'dear Santa' and write about how you what you want for Christmas was for Petra to come back and send it to her. She'll think it is absolutely the most adorable thing ever!"

Levi pondered the idea for a moment before deciding - what the hell?

"Fine." he said, sitting up straighter on the couch. Hanji looked surprised.

"Really? I didn't think you'd agree so quickly-but who cares! It's gonna be great! Of course, you'll have to give credit to moi for the idea at the bottom."

"Whatever."

After Hanji had left his and Petras' house, Levi spent the rest of his uneventful night with a pen in his hand, doing something he never thought he would be doing at the age of 26 six - writing a letter to Santa.

The next morning, he put it in the mail and waited for the response.

__________________________

 _"Levi!_ "

Levi smiled at the shriek from his wife over the phone.

"Mrs. Ral."

_"You fucker! That letter was the cutest thing ever!"_

Levi chuckled. "Hanji said you would think so."

 _"It was Hanjis' idea? And you actually_ _agreed_ _?_ "

"Why is everyone so surprised? I can be cute when I want to be, dammit."

Petra laughed. _"Yes, you can. And I wasn't the only one who thought so. Guess what?"_

"What?"

_"I showed it to Oluo--he cut my trip time! I'm coming back on Christmas Eve!"_

Levis' eyes widen. "Wha- really?"

_"Yes yes yes! I can't wait to get back and smother you in kisses!"_

"I can't wait for you to get back and smother me in kisses."

There was an excited squee from Petra before Levi heard some moving and Petra voice was farther away - she had probably moved the phone from her mouth - but then she was back, sounding highly disappointed.

She groaned. _"Shit, I have you go, Levi. Duty calls."_

"I'm sure it does. You go take care of that."

_"Alright. I love you."_

"Love you, too."

There was a 'mwah' from Petra before she hung up, as did Levi and he sighed. Well, at least he wouldn't have to wait so long anymore, Christmas was only a couple days away.

____________________________

 _"In breaking news, the flight back into the United States from Europe crashed at six this morning. Reporters say that the pilot had been apperently sleeping at the wheel when the plane crashed into the ocean._ "

Levi had been in the kitchen, making a pot coffee when he heard it. He dropped everything and ran into the living room, where the flat screen TV hung onto the wall clearly showed the reporters face as he explained what was happening. Then they showed the live footage of a plane in the water and many boats surrounding it along with helicopters above. His eyes widen.

Petra was on that plane.

But--but maybe she was alright. Maybe there were people that didn't die and that's why there were boats there. To save the people that survived.

Levi held onto this string of hope and stared at the television as they went back and forth between the reporter and the video for another thirty minutes, before finally coming back to the reporter and Levi felt himself tense up at the sorrowful expression he wore when he turned back to camera.

Levi felt like the reporter was looking directly at him, speaking directly to him, when he said it.

_"I've just gotten word that... there are no survivors."_

_There are no survivors._

Levi felt his eyes widen further. His chest constricted and his throat dried and his breathing stopped and his heart stopped as those four words replayed in his head over and over and over and over-

_There are no survivors._

No one survived. Petra was dead. She's dead. _Oh god--Petra is dead._

He faintly heard his phone begin to ring but he didn't answer. Instead he stared at the television, not watching it anymore, just staring as the reality of the situation set in. His wife was dead.

His phone rung a few more times but Levi wasn't conscious to hear it. He had passed out on his couch.

___________________________

They couldn't have a funeral.

They couldn't have a funeral because there was no body. So, instead, there was a memorial that Hanji and Erwin planned. Levi didn't have anything to do with it. He didn't want anything to do with it. He just couldn't bare it. His heart ached it much. And coming to the memorial was only worse.

Levi stood by the piano, his face expressionless as his dull blue eyes stared down at the picture of his wife. Petra was grinning as she held onto the swing, the picture was taken when she was in mid-swing. Levi should know. He took that picture.

Roses and daisys' surrounded the picture and everywhere else. Everyone brought some because those were her favorite flowers.

There were many people here. Petras' family - _god, her father_ \- her and Levis' friends and even some people that Levi didn't know but Petra did because she was a much more likable person than Levi was. Everyone had come by Levi at one point, giving him their condolences and he only nodded. People were crying - many of them were - but not Levi. He already cried. He had two entire days and nights to cry and he did. While Erwin and Hanji somberly prepared for the memorial, Levi locked himself in his room.

"Levi," upon hearing his name being sobbed out, Levi tore his eyes away from the picture - with much effort - and looked up to find Hanji, tears pouring from her eyes and streaming from her face and when he looked at her she only fell apart more.

"Oh god, Levi." her sob was harder this time, throwing her arms around him and usually Levi wouldn't let Hanji touch him like this - because she had a tendency to do experiments in her lab on dead animals and not wash her hands and just because she was way to affectionate when you allowed her to be - but he didn't push her away. He let her cry and snot onto his black suit clad shoulder. He didn't have the strength to even try, he just stared at the vase full of roses across the room over Hanjis' shoulder until she pulled away.

Levi sat on the couch when it was time for speeches to be given. Hanji was the first to speak, then Erwin, the Petras' father, the line went on and on and Levi didn't listen to any of them. He didn't speak either, just sat on the corner of the couch and stared at the white titled floor. And he stayed like that for the rest of the time.

Everyone moved past him in a blur after that. When it was time for people to leave, they said their goodbyes and 'I'm very sorry's to Levi but he didn't listen, Didn't even look up at them.

At some point, he had fallen alseep in his spot on the couch.

Christmas had passed. No one said 'happy birthday, Levi' or 'merry christmas, Levi' and he was glad they didn't. Because it wasn't a happy birthday and it wasn't a merry Christmas. Levi spent the day locked in his room, in his bed - which was strangely colder now - bundled under the blankets. That's how he spent every day after that. He ignored it when either Hanji or Erwin came knocking at his door asking things.

It went from asking him if him to come out of the room, to begging him to. It went from asking if he was hungry, to begging him to eat. But he didn't listen. Instead, he just closed his eyes and willed them to stay that way.

Levi had never really believed in Santa Clause before, but he had come to the conclusion that St. Nick was a very cruel man.

**Author's Note:**

> [Tumblr Prompt : Imagine that your OTP was seperated when Person B had to go over seas. Near Christmas, Person A decides to write a letter to Santa, asking for Person B to come home. Person B does come home. In a coffin, due to plane home crashing.]
> 
> teehee.


End file.
